Israel braces as protest movement against judicial overhaul plans unprecedented disruption

Israel is bracing for chaos on Tuesday as leaders of the protest movement against the right-wing government’s judicial overhaul are planning unprecedented disruption in response to the expected passage on Monday night of the first reading of part of the controversial package.

Protesters plan to block key highways and junctions across the country as thousands of activists descend on Ben Gurion international airport, disrupting the passenger terminal at the start of the busy summer holiday season.

Scores of companies, particularly in the high-tech sector, are closing for the day to allow employees to join the protest and universities have informed students and staff that they will not be penalised for taking the day off.

“We don’t want all the highways and airport to be blocked. We want people to continue working,” said protest movement spokesperson Josh Drill. “However, when the government is pushing forward with judicial overhaul we have no choice but civil disobedience.”

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The nationwide disruption was planned ahead of Monday night’s Knesset vote on the first reading of a bill that would strip the supreme court of its ability to cite the lack of reasonableness as grounds to strike down decisions made by the government, individual ministers and other public officials.

The measure is a key component of the government’s plan to weaken the judiciary, a move opponents claim will undermine Israeli democracy by shifting the delicate balance of power in a country that has no constitution.

The planned judicial overhaul by the most right wing government in Israel’s history has sparked 27 consecutive weeks of protest, threatened the stability of Israel’s previously robust economy and led to an unprecedented warning by reservists in elite military units not to serve “under a dictatorship.”

In response to the protests, prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu decided to stagger the legislation, starting with the reasonableness clause – a move described as salami tactics by his opponents.

The coalition aims to pass the reasonableness clause before the end of the month.

Just ahead of Monday night’s Knesset vote, president Yitzhak Herzog and Israeli opposition leaders made a last-minute plea to Mr Netanyahu to freeze the legislation and resume talks hosted by Mr Herzog aimed at reaching a consensus.

“The judicial overhaul bill means one thing,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said. “That the law does not apply to this government. This day will forever be remembered as a disgrace.”

But Mr Netanyahu rejected the call, realising that his right-wing coalition is growing impatient and wants something tangible after six months of struggle over the judicial reform. “The reasonableness clause isn’t the end of democracy, but will rather strengthen democracy,” he said.

A group of protesters were dragged out of the Knesset by security guards after they tried to prevent lawmakers from entering the plenum ahead of Monday’s vote.

Outgoing US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, said on Monday that US president Joe Biden cannot stand by and watch Israel “go off the rails” in its legislative push to change the judicial system.